How to change the root password in phpMyAdmin

To change the root password in phpMyAdmin, execute ALTER USER 'root'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED BY 'your_new_password'; in the SQL tab after logging in, ensuring you update the password for all relevant hosts like 'root'@'127.0.0.1' if present. 2. If phpMyAdmin uses config authentication, update the password in /etc/phpmyadmin/config.inc.php or switch to cookie-based authentication by setting $cfg['Servers'][$i]['auth_type'] = 'cookie'; for better security. 3. If phpMyAdmin is inaccessible, use the MySQL command line with sudo mysql -u root -p and run the ALTER USER command followed by FLUSH PRIVILEGES; to apply changes. Always restart the web server if needed and avoid storing passwords in config files by using cookie authentication, concluding the process securely and completely.

Changing the root password in phpMyAdmin isn't done directly within phpMyAdmin itself — it's actually a MySQL/MariaDB user password change, and phpMyAdmin is just a web interface to manage the database. Here's how to properly change the root password for your MySQL server, which will affect access through phpMyAdmin.

✅ 1. Change MySQL Root Password via SQL Command

If you already have access to phpMyAdmin as root:

1. Log in to phpMyAdmin using the current root account.
2. Click on the SQL tab (top menu).
3. Run this command:

ALTER USER 'root'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED BY 'your_new_password';

? Replace 'your_new_password' with a strong password.

4. Click Go to execute.

✅ This updates the root password for connecting from localhost.

⚠️ Note: Some setups may use 'root'@'127.0.0.1' or 'root'@'::1'. If you get an error, check the exact user host with:

SELECT User, Host FROM mysql.user WHERE User = 'root';

And run ALTER USER for each relevant host.

✅ 2. Update phpMyAdmin Config (if needed)

After changing the root password, you don’t need to change anything in phpMyAdmin if you're logging in manually (i.e., using "root" and the new password).

But if phpMyAdmin uses config authentication (auto-logs in without asking), you may need to update its configuration:

? File: /etc/phpmyadmin/config.inc.php (path varies by OS/install method)

Look for:

$cfg['Servers'][$i]['auth_type'] = 'config';
$cfg['Servers'][$i]['user'] = 'root';
$cfg['Servers'][$i]['password'] = 'old_password';

Change the password line:

$cfg['Servers'][$i]['password'] = 'your_new_password';

Or better, change auth_type to cookie for security:

$cfg['Servers'][$i]['auth_type'] = 'cookie';

Now phpMyAdmin will prompt for login credentials instead of storing them.

✅ 3. Alternative: Use MySQL Command Line (if phpMyAdmin not accessible)

If you can't log in to phpMyAdmin, use the terminal:

sudo mysql -u root -p

Then run the same ALTER USER command:

ALTER USER 'root'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED BY 'your_new_password';
FLUSH PRIVILEGES;

Exit with exit.

? Security Tips

• Avoid using root for everyday tasks. Create a separate admin user.
• Use auth_type = 'cookie' in phpMyAdmin so passwords aren’t stored in config files.
• Restart your web server if changes don’t take effect:

  sudo systemctl restart apache2
  # or
  sudo systemctl restart nginx

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  Basically, changing the root password is a MySQL operation — phpMyAdmin just lets you run it. Just make sure the new password is reflected in any automated login configs.

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